Commission concludes 5-year review

Thursday

Mar 28, 2013 at 8:09 PMMar 28, 2013 at 8:11 PM

By Patrick StoutMcDonough County Voice

With future city budget uncertainties, the Macomb Planning Commission decided to drop specific date projections for infrastructure improvements as it concluded its five-year review of the city's comprehensive plan on Wednesday.

The finish comes after spending three months on the reviewing process, and some of those dropped date projects included improvements of sidewalks, streets, bus pull-offs and bike paths. Commissioners recommended that some planning sketches in the original document be replaced by newer ones that have been developed.

"Specifics should come out when you're referring to maps," said Commissioner Patty Hayes.

Community Development Coordinator Ed Basch recommended retention of the published land use map.

"Not everyone's in love with it, but sticking to it has not been difficult," he said. "It has not been an obstacle."

Basch added that the city had no desire to rezone public lands owned by Western Illinois University, McDonough County and McDonough District Hospital. The more correct zoning classification, according to the plan, would be institutional.

Commissioners agreed to categorizing the city's downtown redevelopment strategy as a near-term goal.

"Our redevelopment strategy will start downtown and work outward," Basch told the group. "Earlier plans were that it would be the opposite, focusing on Jackson Street."

Use of green-space technology was changed to a long-term city goal, though Commissioner Shannon Duncan pointed out that the city made a significant accomplishment toward that goal by creating the green space area on West Jackson Street across from McDonald's restaurant.

Basch said some goals listed in the 2007 plan that have been met included the upgrade of the city water plant, creation of the West Adams Street special district and the state designation of downtown Macomb as a historic preservation district. He said a near-term goal would soon be met with the listing of the public square on the National Register of Historic Places.

The community development coordinator said the existence of the Graphic Interface Systems Consortium should be referenced in the comprehensive plan.

"GIS is used by almost every department in the city," he said.

Basch said researching data and making map overlays are just a part of the services provided by the GIS Center, located on the WIU campus and funded by the city, the county and the university.

"Organizing, classifying and analyzing data is just as important as finding it in the first place," he told commissioners.

Regarding rental properties in Macomb, Basch said the city has a responsibility to protect tenants, but should not get involved in trying to dictate the specifics of rental leases.

Commissioners agreed that the city should remain in control of consistency and uniformity of properties as required by zoning, but should not attempt to require geographic corridors or any new districts.

"Enhancing existing rail crossings remains a good goal," Basch said, "but it would not be practical to suggest that any new ones could be created."

The planning commission agreed to continue to require plan reviews every five years.

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